BIRTH
John McAllister was the son of
Richard McAllister and Ann Miller. John was the second of at least
nine
children born to this couple. The family originally resided in Antrim
County, North Ireland but were of Scottish descent and referred to as the
Scotch-Irish. John McAllister was born in 1739 (69).
It is believed that John born on the ocean January 18, 1739 (351) but his birth was
registered in Chelsie, MA since that was the McAllister's first stop in this
country. The first location the family lived at in the British Colonies
was Londonderry, New Hampshire. From there the family went to the
settlement of Narragansett No. (which later became Bedford, Hillsboro, NH)
probably in the Spring of 1743. John's father, Richard, was a leading land
holder when the town was organized in 1750. (5 [583]).

John
enlisted as a soldier in the French-Indian war on April 17, 1758. He was
19 years old and
served for six months(65).
John enlisted for a second time in 1760 (5 [583]).

REVOLUTIONARY WAR INVOLVEMENT
John served
as a private during the American Revolutionary War. Captain Peter Clark's
Company and Colonel Stickney's Regiment and with General Starks Brigade of New
Hampshire marched in July 1777 from Lyndeborough and joined the Northern
Continental Army. A listing for the July 21st engagement shows his rank,
discharge on September 26 and time of service as 2.6
(68).

He (John McAllister) was
also out for a time in the Revolutionary Army. Was a stirring, wide-awake
man. He was a blacksmith by trade; came here about 1776, and located on
the north side of the Meeting-house Hill, Building his log cabin on the west
side of the road near where a branch turns eastward towards the old McIlaive
place. He was the only blacksmith in town for many years. His shop on the
hill stood in the corner of the roads opposite his house. He did not,
however, remain long on the hill, but cleared and settled what is now the Pelsey
Farm. His humble dwelling stood nearly opposite the Sally Sawyer house,
and the old shop hew worked in stood on the same side of the road a little east
of his dwelling. He raised a large family who all left town in early life.
In his old age, he followed his children (5 [583]).

MARRIAGE
In June 13, 1783 John
McAllister (at about 44 years of age) married Anna Steele in Amherst, Hillsborough, NH
(63) (66) (351).
She was born December 18, 1768 in Amherst, Hillsborough, NH (63)(72)(351)
and would have been about 30 years younger than John. Anna's parents are
Joseph STEELE, Jr. and Elizabeth
(DICKEY?) UNKNOWN. (351) (Joseph Steel Jr. is the son of
DAR Patriot Joseph Steele.)

There is the suggestion she is the daughter of a
Joseph and Elizabeth Steele. There was a James and Margaret (Ramsay)
Steele who lived in Hillsborough, NH in 1750 and they were still there when
James died in 1819 [(5) p 688]. His
second wife was Margaret (Cochran) Parker and they were having children in the
time period of 1768 when Anna was born. I found a web site that
lists an Ann as one of James' children and that sounds very promising (67).

In 1800 the
census shows John McAllister was living in Hillsborough, New Hampshire near
Zadock Reed(9).
John's daughter Anna McAllister and Zadock's son Dudley Reed must have known
each other as neighbors. Dudley and Anna
would marry April 1, 1813 in Antrim, Hillsborough [(5) p 657]. This is the line that
follows down to our ancestry line.

On May 27,
1813 John bought a 100 acre lot in Rochester, VT from Dudley Chase.
Rochester Deeds 3-137 indicates he purchased this land for $325[(71)
page 5 of 87].
In 1814, at the age of 75, John moved to Vermont (5 [583]).
There is some question here since one of their younger daughters, Fannie was
said to be born in Vermont and the youngest daughter in the 1820 census would
have been born 1804-1814. Since she was supposed to be born about 1805 (72) it would suggest the family
may have spent some time there prior to the 1813 land purchase.

In the 1820 census John was in Vermont, Windsor Co., Rochester, and
living next to his son, William
(70).
The 1820 census says John had 3 (children?) living with them:

CHILDRENWe know of ten children born to John and Anna (Steele) McAllister. It
is difficult to get the exact ages of their children but we have a general idea.
These match the 1800 and 1820 census with exception of William.

1-John Wentworth McAllister born 1784 Amherst, NH. Married Lovina
Jones June 20, 1805 in Hillsborough, NH, died May 01, 1849, age 64, in Rochester
VT.
[(5 )583]
(71)2-Daniel McAllister
[(5 )584] born 1785-1786 (63) (72) (71)3-Betsey
McAllister
[(5 )584] born
about 1790 (72)
4-Anna McAllisterBorn abt
1791 (7) and married
Dudley Reed, April 1, 1813.
[(5 )584]
5-Jesse McAllister He was born Abt. 1793 (72). Married
Deborah Paige April 20, 1815
[(5 )584]
6-Isaac McAllister Born about 1794 in NH and probably died in
Pulaski , Oswego , New York.(72). Hemarried Elizabeth (Betsey)
E. Benson. [(71)p.63 of 87)] 7-David
McAllister Born 1797 (72). Married Susan Nason of
Rochester, VT, moved to PA in 1836.
[(5 )584] 8-William
McAllister was born 1799-1804 (72)
Antrim, Hillsborugh, NH, married Diadamia Washburne July 04, 1819 [(71) p. 66 of 87]and
had a son named Stillman born by 1820
[(5 )584] (70). William diedDecember 12, 1868 in
Rochester , Windsor , Vermont (72).
(William was not in the 1800
census, but there is a male age 10-16 in 1820(9)(70)
9-Fannie McAllister Fannie was born Abt. 1801 in Antrim, Hillsborough,
NH.(72). Married John Austin of
Rochester, VT December 21, 1820 in Rochester, Windsor, Vermont(72). and Mr. Smith.
[(5 )584]
10-Nancy Stiles McAllister
[(5 )584] born Abt. 1805 in
Rochester, Windsor, Vermont. She married Uriah Dresser August 08, 1863 (72). (Note, we are not sure
about birth location in VT, the family moved to Vermont until 1813-14.)

DEATH
John and his wife Anna, lived in Rochester, VT until his death in 1828. Anna
stayed in Rochester and lived for about 20 more years (5 [583]) .